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Rustic Accents Home Office Renovation My New Workspace

Somehow it’s been over a year since we renovated my office! I put off blogging it because I was waiting until I’d put something on the walls. But as Rob can attest, I’m notoriously bad for getting around to that! What can I say? I’m a perfectionist from time to time ;)

Our house has three bedrooms upstairs. The master, the average, and the tiny. When we first moved in, I took the average one and Rob set up in the tiny for his workspace. But then we renovated his office, and he moved downstairs and the tiny room stayed empty. But my office was always a mess. It was too big! And yet I didn’t have room to put anything anywhere. I had a trestle table desk, and while it looked nice, I quickly learned that I’m a drawer girl. I love drawers, especially the top one where all the writing utensils go :)

One week while I was out of town for work, Rob surprised me by switching my office into the tiny room! It was so much cozier. But it. was. crammed. I mean bursting to the seams. Too much furniture, gross shelves on the walls where the previous owner had blown out the closet, and stuff just everywhere. So after booking my tenth wedding I decided it was time to give the room a makeover! During photography busy season I come home from work and then spend at least a couple hours in that office, so I wanted it to be nice!

Unfortunately I got so exciting about moving everything OUT that I forgot to take a before photo! Whoops!  But at least I have an empty room photo from when we first moved in.

This room is pretty petite, so the previous owners took out the closet doors and added these bowed particle-board shelves. They probably used it as a home office, too. Home-Office-Renovation-1

Up top you can see the remnants of how full this room was! Packed to the brim! To the right is mid-overhaul. Shelves were torn down, Rob patched up the walls, I painted, and he put in new baseboards, trim, and a new door.

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We used interlocking pine barn board, which Rob cut to size. I then stained it by hand when it was already on the wall.

Home-Office-Renovation-3Finished accent wall! This is during the brightest part of the day when the room glows. When the sun’s not in here, the stain is more walnut and the walls are a sand colour. Home-Office-Renovation-4And the new desk! Tons of storage on both sides. Home-Office-Renovation-6That’s my foot rest under the desk. Because I’m short and can’t touch the floor and I lose circulation in my legs ;) Home-Office-Renovation-10It’s so bright and airy, traditional with a hint of the outdoors. I love it! Can’t believe what a difference the new door made.
Home-Office-Renovation-13Home-Office-Renovation-11Home-Office-Renovation-14I managed to get one thing on the wall thanks to Rob’s Christmas gift :)Home-Office-Renovation-5There is SO much storage hidden in this office. I put business cards and other stationary items in these grey boxes. The lamp is on an old apple crate that I was using for clients to pose on before it succumbed to its age (in spectacular fashion, I might add). I hide the watering can behind it. Home-Office-Renovation-7This sofa table with the baskets gives me tons of space. And of course, I love labelling things :) Home-Office-Renovation-12Home-Office-Renovation-8And that’s the office!

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Ottawa, Ontario